The disclosed aspects relate to communication devices, and more particularly, to systems and methods for referring media content at a communication device.
Communication devices, and more specifically wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones, have rapidly gained in popularity over the past decade. These devices are rapidly becoming multifaceted devices capable of providing a wide-range of functions. For example, a cellular telephone may also embody computing capabilities, Internet access, electronic mail, text messaging, GPS mapping, digital photographic capability, an audio/MP3 player, video gaming capabilities and the like.
In addition, wireless communication devices are increasingly being manufactured with the ability to receive media content, such as audio content, video content, multimedia content or the like. As such, the communication devices may be configured to receive one-to-many transmissions, such as broadcast transmissions and/or multicast transmissions and/or one-to-one transmissions, such as unicast transmissions or the like. An example of a current multicast system is the MediaFLO™ system available from Qualcomm Incorporated of San Diego, Calif. The MediaFLO™ system utilizes orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-air interface based technology designed specifically for multicasting a significant volume of rich multimedia content cost effectively to wireless device subscribers.
While multicasting and other transmission media allow for wireless devices to reliably receive multimedia content in a mobile environment, users of such media content also enjoy being able to refer or otherwise recommend media content to friends, colleagues, family and the like. For example, a user may choose to refer or recommend audio content, such as a song or compact disc or video content, such as a broadcast program, a gaming application, or the like.
In addition to conventional audio or video content, many multicast and/or broadcast systems rely on advertisements for generating revenue. In many instances advertisements themselves have become a form of media content, in that, in addition to providing information regarding a product or service, the advertisement may be artistically significant, humorous, thought-provoking, or otherwise entertaining. As such, a user may desire to refer or otherwise recommend advertisements to friends, colleagues, family or the like.
Further, media content providers are always concerned with optimizing the transmission and reception of media content. In a multicast system content is delivered over a finite number of broadcast channels. Typically any one content item, such as a program, song, advertisement or the like is broadcasted on a scheduled basis. In order to optimize the transmission and reception of media content it is necessary to know what content the users are using, viewing or otherwise consuming. In this regard, once the media content providers are aware of which content is being consumed by the users, the content providers can adjust delivery schedules or otherwise re-allocate network resources to insure that the highly consumed content is delivered more frequently. While actual use/consumption information provides data for optimizing delivery schedules, often times, in the fleeting world of media content, the use/consumption information is considered “dated” material and optimization of delivery schedules based on this data may be out-dated.
Therefore a need exists to develop methods and apparatus for referring media content at communication devices, such as wireless communication devices.